Drill hole cleaning device



R. L. CROW I DRILL HOLE CLEANING DEVICE Feb. 15, 1938.

Filed Oct. 20. 1956 Fatented F eb. 15, 1938 lJNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICEDRILL HOLE CLEANING DEVICE Raymond L. Crow, Lawrence, Kans. ApplicationOctober 20, 1936, Serial No. 106,667

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices forremoving drillings, such as rock dust, from the bottom of drill holes ofany depth.

5 Considerable difficulty has always been experienced in the removal ofdust or drillings from holes formed in rock and other sub-soil strata.The usual methods used to accomplish the removal of the rock dust ordrillings have been to blow the dust out of the hole, draw it out bysuction, or float it out with water, or the like. All of these methodstend toward a considerable waste of very valuable time.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a device whichwill quickly and easily accomplish the removal of rock dust, or otherdrillings, from drilled holes resulting in the saving of considerabletime which has been wasted in the removal of rock dust by old methods.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe courseof the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and-inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of drill hole cleaningdevice embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of a modifiedfrom of drill hole cleaning device, and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a still further modified form ofdrill hole cleaning device with a sharpened ferrule shown separated fromthe inner end of the main body of the device and with the upper portionof the handle broken away.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown thepreferred embodiments of this invention, and particularly referring toFig. 1, the reference character 5 designates the body portion of a,section of flexible tubing which may be of any desired length. Theopposite ends 5 of this section of tubing are provided with ferrules 6.I These ferrules may be formed as an integral part. of the ends of thetubing or they may be formed as separate rings and suitably secured tothe ends of the tubing.

5 A modified form of drill hole cleaning device is illustrated in Fig.2. This form consists of a section of flexible tubing 1 which also has aferrule 8 either formed integrally with one end thereof or constructedas a separate ring to be 55 welded, or the like, to the end of thetubing 1.

The remaining end of the tubing 1 has suitably secured thereto, as byweldingor the like, a coupling member 9 to the bore of which isthreadedly connected a tubular handle ID. The upper end of this handleis enlarged at II to provide a 5 smooth bearing surface to be engaged bythe hand of the operator of the device. The bore of the tubular handleI0 is in open communication at its inner end l2 with the bore of theflexible tubing 1. This handle bore also extends through 1 the center ofthe enlarged head Ii, as at l3. This provision of a handle II) with itsbore opening through opposite ends of the same permits air to enter theupper end of the flexible tubing 1.

A still further form of drill hole cleaning de- 15 vice is illustratedin Fig. 3. In this form of the invention, the body portion consists of asection of flexible tubing M. A ferrule I5 is adapted to be detachably,threadedly connected to the innerend it of the body portion of the tubel4. This 20 threaded connection is accomplished by forming a spirallyextending rib II on the ferrule 15 which cooperates with the spiralgroove I8 of the tubing 14. A coupling member I9 is suitably secured tothe remaining end of the tubing I4 25 and is formed with an externallythreaded, reduced portion 20 to which is threadedly connected the innerend portion of a tubular handle 2 I.

It is to be understood that each one of the sections of flexible tubing5, 'I and I4 is of the 30 same construction. This construction isillustrated in the sectional portions of Fig. 2. Each one of thesetubing sections is formed from a ribbon of suitable material, suchasmetal, with the ribbon being of shallow channel formation, as 35designated by the reference character 22. One longitudinal edge of thisribbon is formed with a relatively narrow reversely curved flange 23which, due to its curvature, provides an external groove 24. Theremaininglongitudinal edge of 40 the channel shaped ribbon, in thespiral winding of the ribbon to form the tube, is seated in thisexternal groove 24.

-Fig. 2 also discloses the outer edge of 'the ferrule 8 as beingsharpened, as at 25. It is to be understood that each one of theferrules 6 is provided with a sharpened edge 25 of the form shown insection in Fig. 2. The ferrule i5, disclosed in Fig. 3, also is providedwith a sharpened edge 25.. v

In the use of these tools for removing rock dust, or other drillings,from the bottom of a drill hole, the tool isjammed or forced into thedrill hole. This inward forcing or jamming of the devices into drillholescauses the rock dust, or

tion to pack and hold the rock dust in the tub-- ings. After the deviceshave been jammed into the drill holes, rotation of the devices willcause the rock dust, or the like, received within the bores or thetubing to be separated or severed from the dust remaining in the bottomof the drill holes. The tools then may be removed from,

the drill holes and the rock dust held within the bores of the tubingsmay be quickly and easily removed therefrom by merely striking thetublngs against the ground, or other solid object.

It is to be understood that I do not desire to limit myself to the useof a flexible tubing for any form of tubing which is formed with a borehaving a channel, ledge or shelf formed spirally throughout the borethereof will accomplish the desired results to a practical extent. Theflexible tubing illustrated in the several figures. however, operatesmost successfully and permits much more ready removal of the drillingsfrom the bores of the tubes.

It is to be understood that the forms of this invention herewith shownand described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing. from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A drill hole cleaning device comprising a section of flexible tubinghaving a sharpened edge at one end thereof, a tubular handle open atboth ends, means for connecting said tubular handle to one end of thetubing with the bores 01' the section of flexible tubing, and spirallyextending means formed in the bore of the tubing for packing' andholding drillings received therein when the device is forced into adrill hole.

3. A drill hole cleaning device comprising-a section of flexible tubinghaving a sharpened edge at one end thereof, and spirally extending meansformed in the bore of the tubing for packing and holding drillingsreceived therein whenthe device is -forced into a drill hole.

4. A drill hole cleaning device comprising a section of flexible tubing,a tubular handle open at both ends, means for connecting said handle toone end of the tubing with the bores of the tubing and handle in opencommunication, and spirally extending means formed in the bore of thetubing for packing and holding drillings received therein when thedevice is forced into a drill hole.

5. A-drill hole cleaning device comprising a section oi tubing, and ahandle member for manipulating the tubing, said tubing consisting of aspirally wound ribbon having a channel cross-sectional formation, andmeans for connecting the edge portions of adjacent convolutions of theribbon to permit limited relative movement between said edge portions toprovide ,ior flexing of the tubing.

RAYMOND L. CROW.

